Children with visual impairments face a variety of challenges every day, many of which stem from their need to navigate a world that is predominantly designed for sighted individuals. These challenges can impact their education and overall quality of life. A nonprofit in Livonia seeks to mitigate these challenges for children through increased literacy.
Seedlings Braille Books for Children is a nonprofit organization with a singular mission: to provide free and low-cost braille books to children with visual impairments.
Since its founding in 1984, Seedlings has strived to provide accessible education. It has produced more than 750,000 books and ensured that children with vision loss have the same opportunities to read and learn as their sighted peers.
Free programs changing lives
Through several free programs, Seedlings has made significant strides in supporting not only children but also their educators and families.
The initiatives are designed to support children, teachers and early intervention programs by increasing access to braille books.
Seedlings’ free programs have placed thousands of books in the hands of children and teachers every year, allowing them to grow, learn and experience the world of literature.
These programs include:
- Book Angel Program. One of Seedlings’ most impactful initiatives is the Book Angel Program (formerly Anna’s Book Angel Project), which provides free braille books to children with vision loss across the U.S. and Canada. Since its launch in 2002, the program has distributed more than 100,000 books. Children ages birth-21 are eligible to receive five free braille books per year. The program allows children to build their home library, fostering a love of reading early on, which is crucial for their educational development.
- Teachers of the Visually Impaired program. Since 2019, Seedlings has been supporting Teachers of the Visually Impaired through this program. It allows certified teachers with a visual impairment endorsement to receive five free braille books per year, helping them create more inclusive classrooms for their students. Seedlings has sent more than 21,000 books to teachers across the country, ensuring that educators have the necessary resources to support their students with vision loss.
- Braille for Beginners. Seedlings also offers the Braille for Beginners program, which focuses on getting braille books into the hands of toddlers and preschoolers with vision loss. Early exposure to braille is critical to success in school and beyond, and the B4B program has sent hundreds of print-braille-and-picture books to Early Intervention programs (EIs) across the U.S. This program ensures children and their families have the tools they need to begin their braille journey from an early age.
- Adopt-a-Reader Program. For children with vision loss in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, Seedlings offers the Adopt-a-Reader program, which pairs children with generous donors to receive 10 free braille books of their choice each year. The program ensures children have access to a wide variety of books, from stories to educational texts, encouraging a love of reading that lasts a lifetime.
- Rose Project. Seedlings also offers the Rose Project, which provides free braille copies of World Book Encyclopedia articles for students with vision loss in grades 1-12. This resource helps students who are working on school projects or simply exploring new topics. The ability to access informational text is vital for academic success, and the Rose Project ensures that students have equal access to the wealth of knowledge contained in encyclopedia articles.
The impact of Seedlings: A legacy of growth and milestones
Seedlings’ commitment to providing accessible reading materials began in 1984 when Debra Bonde, a certified braille transcriber, founded the organization in her Detroit basement.
Faced with the scarcity and high cost of children’s braille books, Debra sought to change this by creating an accessible source of literature for children with vision loss. In 1985, with the help of a small braille printer, Seedlings printed its first 221 books, beginning a journey that would soon see significant growth.
As demand for braille books increased, Seedlings moved to a larger facility with more staff and a dedicated group of volunteers. By 1990, production had reached 5,000 books annually, and the organization relocated to The Bentley Center in Livonia, Michigan. Seedlings only continued to grow from there. Seven years later, the nonprofit moved across town to the Livonia Metroplex Office Complex, where it still resides today.
By 2004, Seedlings was producing more than 20,000 free and low-cost braille books per year. This expansion continued, and in 2009, the organization celebrated the production of its 250,000th book.
In the following years, Seedlings received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Bolotin Award in 2015, and continued to grow its reach. By 2016, the organization was producing more than 30,000 books annually, and in 2018, it celebrated its 500,000th book. In 2023 alone, Seedlings distributed more than 48,000 books, two-thirds of which were free for their readers.
Today, Seedlings is a leader in accessible literature, having produced more than 750,000 books since its inception, shipped to all 50 states and more than 85 countries. The organization’s commitment to its mission has helped shape a world where children with vision loss have the same opportunities to learn and explore through the power of books.
Looking to the future
As Seedlings celebrates its success, it continues to look forward, knowing that the need for braille books will only grow. The organization remains committed to its mission of providing high-quality, accessible literature to children with visual impairments, empowering them to reach their full potential. Through its free programs, Seedlings has already made an incredible impact, and as it continues to produce braille books, it has the ability to change the lives of even more children and educators in the years to come.
Donations to Seedlings are always needed and appreciated. Every $10 donation puts a braille book in the hands of a child with vision loss. Click or tap here to donate.
Click or tap here to learn about other ways you can help, including sponsoring programs, volunteering and fundraising.
Visit the Seedlings website to learn more.